CHICAGO (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers showed last year they know how to finish strong. They are hoping for a repeat performance this season. Manny Piña drove in two runs with a first-inning single and Josh Hader closed out a strong performance by Milwaukee’s bullpen, helping the short-handed Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs 2-0 on Saturday. Ben Gamel had three hits for Milwaukee, which had dropped four of five. Gamel was recalled from the minors before the victory. Milwaukee pulled within four games of Chicago for the second NL wild card. The Brewers rallied to the NL Central title a year ago, chasing down the Cubs in the last part of the season. “It’s not magic; it’s playing good baseball,” manager Craig Counsell said. “We’re capable of that, and that’s what it’s gonna take. “That’s what we did today.” The Brewers used five pitchers in the six-hitter. Zach Davies worked 4 2/3 innings before Matt Albers finished the fifth. Drew Pomeranz got two outs and Junior Guerra (8-4) worked 1 2/3 innings of hitless ball. Hader then earned his 27th save, recording five outs on just 12 pitches. The All-Star left-hander struck out two. Ryan Braun, Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas and rookie Keston Hiura were out of Milwaukee’s starting lineup. Braun pinch-hit in the sixth and Cain entered in a double switch in the bottom of the eighth.
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